Spinal Cord

Question 1

Name the 4 nervous systems

Answer 1

Central nervous system
Peripheral nervous system
Autonomic nervous system

Question 2

What is the peripheral nervous system split into

Answer 2

Autonomic & somatic

Question 3

What is the autonomic nervous system split into

Answer 3

Sympathetic
Parasympathetic
Enteric

Question 4

Where does the spinal cord arise from

Answer 4

Cranial has a continuation of the brain stem at the medulla oblongata

Question 5

Where does the spinal cord extend from

Answer 5

Foreman magnum at the base of the skull of C1 to L1/2

Question 6

What does the spinal cord terminate as

Answer 6

Medullary cone

Question 7

What is the Filum Terminale and what does it do

Answer 7

Thin thread that extends from the tip of the medullary cone to the first coccygeal vertebrae (Co1)

Anchores the spinal cord in place

Question 8

What does the medulla oblongata do

Answer 8

Controls autonomic functions
Connects brain & spinal cord
Responsible for regukating basic functions of the ANS
Respiratory: chemoreceptors
Cardiac centres : sympathetic & parasympathetic systems

Question 9

What does the medullary cone consist of

Answer 9

Sacral (S2-S5) & coccygeal spinal cord segments

Question 10

What is distal to the medullary cone

Answer 10

Collection of spinal nerve roots called the cauda equina

Question 11

What does the cauda equina consist of

Answer 11

Spinal nerve roots L2-S5 & coccygeal nerve

Question 12

What is the filum terminale a continuation of

Answer 12

Pía mater

Question 13

Where does the filum terminale run through

Answer 13

Extends caudal y through the subarachnoid space surrounded by dura mater until it inserts at Co1

Question 14

3 functions of the filum terminale

Answer 14

Fixate
Stanalise
Buffer the distal soinal cord from normal & abnormal cephalic & caudal tractions

Question 15

How many spinal cord segments are there

Answer 15

31 segments
31 bilaterally paired mixed spinal nerves

Question 16

Cervical enlargement

Answer 16

C4-T1
Represents the origins of the brachial plexus

Question 17

Lumbar enlargement

Answer 17

T11-L1
Represents the origins of lumbar & sacral plexi

Question 18

What fluid fills the space between the spinal membranes

Answer 18

Cerebrospinal fluid

Question 19

Name the 3 layers of the meninges from superficial to deep

Answer 19

Superficial = dura mater
Arachnoid mater
Deepest = pía mater

Question 20

What does the dura mater extend from

Answer 20

Foramen magnum to the filum terminale

Question 21

What collagen fibres does the dura mater have

Answer 21

Tough & fibrous

Question 22

What is the space called between the vertebra & dura mater

Answer 22

Epidural space

Question 23

How is the arachnoid mater separated from the pía mater

Answer 23

Subarachnoid space

Question 24

What fluid does the subarachnoid space contain

Answer 24

Cerebrospinal fluid

Question 25

When the subarachnoid space expands distal to the medullary cone what does it form

Answer 25

Lumbar cistern

Question 26

How is the cistern formed

Answer 26

Subarachnoid snapce between the pía mater & arachnoid meninges when the pía mater completely separates from the arachnoid meninges

Question 27

Where is lumbar cistern located

Answer 27

End of the spinal cord & end of the vertebral column

Question 28

What does the pía mater cover

Answer 28

Spinal cord, nerve root & blood vessels

Question 29

What does the pía mater fuse with inferiorly

Answer 29

Filum terminale

Question 30

What ligaments form when the pía mater thickens between the nerve roots

Answer 30

Denticulate ligaments

Question 31

Explain the denticulate ligaments

Answer 31

Extends from the pía mater through the arachnoid mater to the dura mater Suspends the spinal cord in the subarachnoid fluid in the subarachnoid space Prevents lateral movement

Question 32

Structure of a spinal cord

Answer 32

Divided into 2 symmetrical halves via the dorsal median sulcus & ventral median fissure Central canal Grey matter surrounds the central canal White matter on outer part Afferent spinal nerves enters via the dorsal/posterior root Efferent spinal nerves exit via the ventral/anterior root

Question 33

3 divisions of the white matter

Answer 33

Dorsal column (posterior) Lateral column Ventral column (anterior)

Question 34

Name the 3 horns of the grey matter

Answer 34

Dorsal horn (posterior) Lateral horn Ventral horn (anterior)

Question 35

Function of the grey matter

Answer 35

Neruron cell bodies, dendrites & synapses Most of the synapse occurs between periphery & brain in both directions

Question 36

Function of the dorsal horn

Answer 36

Cell bodies of sensory neurons & relays sensory information

Question 37

Function of the ventral & lateral horn

Answer 37

Cell bodies of motor neurons relaying information either descending from the brain or from the dorsal horn to motor & autonomic nerves

Question 38

Grey commissure function

Answer 38

Axons that cross to the opposite side of the cord

Question 39

White matter function

Answer 39

Myelinated axons & are white due to myelin sheath Ascending & descending fibres Ascending = afferent/sensory info to the brain in posterior columns Descending = efferent/motor infor from the brain to the spinal cord in anterior & lateral columns